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Darwin Nunez could be the reason Liverpool win the Premier League this season. That's according to talk SPORT host Tony Cascarino after the Reds forward scored his second league goal of the season on Saturday as he opened the scoring against Aston Villa. His strike set the hosts on their way to a 2-0 victory at Anfield to extend their lead at the top of the table. Cascarino believes Nunez's contributions will prove to be pivotal to his side's title hopes this term. The talk SPORT co-host told Weekend Sports Breakfast: "I was very critical of Darwin Nunez last year. "Saying critical because I just feel if Liverpool had a chance last year to win the league that Darwin Nunez had to be clinical. "And I think a lot rests on him again this year because I looked at his numbers last year, not on goals, but since his time at Anfield. And if you take Mo Salah, since he's been at Liverpool, he's started 244 games. "He's been on the bench 17 times, right? So very little because he's so consistent. He's been clinical as hell for a long time. Darwin Nunez has started 45 games. "He's been on the bench, started on the bench 28. So he's been really an in and out player all his time. He's been at Liverpool now over two years. And that in itself tells you if he's clinical, they win the league. "If he gets goals as well, 15 goals plus in a season, Liverpool can win the league. "Because he gives another dimension to Liverpool. He is a player that all of us, I think every footballer I meet, professional footballer I talk about, we talk about Nunez, they all say the same things. I really like him. "I really, pace, he never stops running, even if he misses chances, he carries on. I'm the same. But I also know that if Darwin Nunez can produce goals, Liverpool can win things more regularly because he has so many attributes in his game. And the fans love him. "And they always have done. Every time Nunez plays, if he does something, the fans are immediately on Nunez, Nunez, you know, because they love him. "And it will make Arne's job, Arne Slot's job a lot easier if he gives even more competition to that forward line, because that forward line's already got goals. " Nunez made just his fourth league start of the season on Saturday, with his other four appearances coming from the bench. He now has two goals and an assist across those matches, though. Meanwhile, Liverpool now sit five points clear at the top of the Premier League. Arne Slot's side have lost just once in the league and dropped only four points over the course of their opening 11 fixtures. This service is provided on talk SPORT Ltd's Terms of Use in accordance with our Privacy Policy.